Numbers
17 species in North America (
Nearctica.com)
Identification
Small or medium-sized, brightly-colored tachinids that visit flowers. Have distinctive cylindrical abdomen with dark reddish spots. Legs dark. Compare
Xanthomelanodes.
Quoting from Herschel Raney's
key to eastern tachinids, which is excerpted from the
Manual of Nearctic Diptera:
Palpus present.
Vibrissae arising distinctly above lower margin of face. Legs yellowish basally, darkened apically-->
Xanthomelanodes 2nd Townsend (3/5)
Palpus absent. Vibrissae level with lower margin of face. Legs entirely dark--> Cylindromyia Meigen (11/17 in 5 subgenera)
Habitat
common flower visitor in open weedy areas
See Also
Trichopoda--has fringe on hind legs
Xanthomelanodes--legs yellow at base, see
identification for other characters
Internet References
live adult image (Bruce Marlin, Cirrus Imaging)
pinned adult image (Insects of Cedar Creek, Minnesota)
PDF checklist of Tachinidae of North America (O'Hara & Wood, 2004) [see pages 27-28 for
Cylindromyia species]
recent name changes of North American Tachinidae (O'Hara & Wood, 2004)
